[LetsEvolve]

I received my newly purchased PS2000e just couple of days ago and would like to share my initial experience with it, both +/-.

I purchased it directly from Oceania's authorized dealer "AddictedToAudio" via their website. The shipping time to New Zealand was excellent, just 1 week, regardless all the known issues with the covid thing happening around.

Negatives (-):
These ones are particularly frustrating as to buy a $2,700 headphones which have these kind of issues straight out of the box:

1. Opened the box, took out the headphones and couldn't believe my eyes - the foam pads from the both ear-pads are damaged and it can't get restored to the original shape. Here are the shots I've taken:







2. My next frustration happened when I removed the protective foam from the ear-cups and discovered that the color of the metal part, which must be grey smoke, is distorted kind of green-isn / blue-ish / purple-ish, kind of rainbow range colors and not one even grey smoke color. It is the color looks like when a metal undergoes extreme temperature variations and that kind of distortion color gets created on the metal surface. But I could be wrong what caused this happened and it could be something else that effected the distortion color. It would be good to know if someone experienced same color distortion on the metal part of the ear-cups. Here are the shots:







3. Another minus for me was the headband where, unlike my other PS1000e, it can't be set a little bit shorter, the headband rod is adjusted to the minimum position, and hence the headphones sit a bit above my ears and becomes loose on my head. On my PS1000e this is not an issue and the headphones sits just right on my head. I'm not sure if this headband's length is a common issue across the whole range of the 2000e model, or it's just my particular pair. It would be good to know if someone experienced same discomfort with the headband.

Positives (+):
The plus is for the sound, I really like how it sounds and like it better than my PS1000e in just any direction: frequencies, sound stage, image depth,. etc. I never use any technical or theoretical approaches to compare sound qualities, but rather use just my purely subjective feelings of what I hear from headphones, kind of 'enjoy it or not', these PS2000e gives not just listening experience but also where I can feel the music.
Also, the sound gets very different when I swap between my 3 best power cords, connected to my all-in-one player "TEAC NT-503". The best sound for me is with my "Nanotec Golden Strada #309" cord, which gives more clarity and bigger depth of the soundstage stretching further into all 3 dimensions.

Anyway, at the end I contacted the dealer (and the Grado team as well) to ask for new replacement as it's really unacceptable and frustrating experience. It's weekend now, have to wait Monday for the answer...

Part 2 of my newly purchased PS2000e story, which is now got even worse...

2 days ago the "AddictedToAudio" dealer received the defected original PS2000e headphones I sent back (the ones I purchased initially). This was the dealer's requirement before they send me a replacement pair. So, they received it and before sending me a new replacement pair, the dealer emailed me 3 photos of the headphones they were going to send so that I can view it and agree for the look of ear-cups and that this time there is no any distortion color defects on the metal part, etc. And this part is the most frustrating and just very weird in general as the Ps2000e headphones they were going to send me as a replacement have the same color distortion issue on one of the ear-cups.
This is the photos of that "potential" replacement (outlined it in green):

The question is: why on Earth were they going to send me the replacement for the PS2000e with the same issue as the original ???

Now I asked for refund but they do not respond and keep silence. Tomorrow going to contact the Grado family...

 

[XLR8]

That is crazy...
Good luck with refund.

 

[PANURUS]

Part 2 of my newly purchased PS2000e story, which is now got even worse...

2 days ago the "AddictedToAudio" dealer received the defected original PS2000e headphones I sent back (the ones I purchased initially). This was the dealer's requirement before they send me a replacement pair. So, they received it and before sending me a new replacement pair, the dealer emailed me 3 photos of the headphones they were going to send so that I can view it and agree for the look of ear-cups and that this time there is no any distortion color defects on the metal part, etc. And this part is the most frustrating and just very weird in general as the Ps2000e headphones they were going to send me as a replacement have the same color distortion issue on one of the ear-cups.
This is the photos of that "potential" replacement (outlined it in green):





The question is: why on Earth were they going to send me the replacement for the PS2000e with the same issue as the original ???

Now I asked for refund but they do not respond and keep silence. Tomorrow going to contact the Grado family...

I wish you to rub the area with a soft cloth. Everything should disappear with a little emphasis.
The PS2000e is very sensitive to fingerprints. Reason why, I use gloves.
The grease on our hands is often invisible until it is oxidized by the air. Once oxidized, the traces are much more visible. They look like corrosion but by rubbing enough, they disappear.

 

[LetsEvolve]

I wish you to rub the area with a soft cloth. Everything should disappear with a little emphasis.
The PS2000e is very sensitive to fingerprints. Reason why, I use gloves.
The grease on our hands is often invisible until it is oxidized by the air. Once oxidized, the traces are much more visible. They look like corrosion but by rubbing enough, they disappear.

I tried this on the first pair before sending it back, and a cloth didn't help, that distorted (or corrosion) color was stable and permanent. I'd wish the Grado Lab replace the cups on the PS2000e to be the same classic silver color as on the PS1000, which never had this coloring issue (as I know of).

 

[LetsEvolve]

They just refunded... the story ended.

 

[LetsEvolve]

... going to try purchase the PS2000e again at Woo Audio as I liked its sound very much

 

[up late]

that's unfortunate but it appears that a2a did try

 

[LetsEvolve]

that's unfortunate but it appears that a2a did try

... To get rid of problematic PS2000 headphones due to inapropriate storage conditions.

 

[up late]

... To get rid of problematic PS2000 headphones due to inapropriate storage conditions.

you don't know that

 

[Rebel Chris]

Just a weird story: so Grado ps2000 gets corroded due to inapropriate storage? Do we have to store it in the frige after using it?
Nah, its a production fault. Strange they did send you another bad one.

Any plans on another headphone? Maybe the Grado Hemp

 

[ruhenheiM]

... going to try purchase the PS2000e again at Woo Audio as I liked its sound very much

honestly i can't really tell whether that's actual corrosion/lightning/stain(from your 2nd story) or whatever but a2a did refunded you, so that's good. i hope you have more luck from woo audio

Just a weird story: so Grado ps2000 gets corroded due to inapropriate storage? Do we have to store it in the frige after using it?
Nah, its a production fault. Strange they did send you another bad one.

Any plans on another headphone? Maybe the Grado Hemp

i much rather speculate something happened in between(after the item left grado) than a production fault, if something like flagship headphone with that condition(from the first story) passed from grado production, allow to sell for customers as in brand new, i'm not gonna buy grado from online ever again

 

[LetsEvolve]

you don't know that

Looks like the foam protection cover wrapped on the earcups gave reaction under a heat. In Australia in some areas can be extremely hot, and during their lockdown nobody was in the shop and an aircon was off. I remember wth the 1st pair when received and unboxed the headphones, those protective foam materials were literally glued to the metal surface of the earcups and it was not easy to remove them. It's very likely that the headphones left Grado shop in pefect shape but then in Australia overheating happened.

 

[LetsEvolve]

Any plans on another headphone? Maybe the Grado Hemp

No, not other ones , just want to get the PS2000, its sound is very impressive and addictive to my ears in my setup ring.

 

[up late]

Looks like the foam protection cover wrapped on the earcups gave reaction under a heat. In Australia in some areas can be extremely hot, and during their lockdown nobody was in the shop and an aircon was off. I remember wth the 1st pair when received and unboxed the headphones, those protective foam materials were literally glued to the metal surface of the earcups and it was not easy to remove them. It's very likely that the headphones left Grado shop in pefect shape but then in Australia overheating happened.

well that's conjecture but if you believe that is what happened, then i hope it gives you some comfort. you've certainly had a disappointing purchasing experience and i do sympathise.

 

[acguitar84]

The plus is for the sound, I really like how it sounds and like it better than my PS1000e in just any direction: frequencies, sound stage, image depth,. etc. I never use any technical or theoretical approaches to compare sound qualities, but rather use just my purely subjective feelings of what I hear from headphones, kind of 'enjoy it or not', these PS2000e gives not just listening experience but also where I can feel the music.

When you get everything straightened out I hope you write more on the PS1000e/PS2000e comparisons. Best of luck too!!